The Acorn Movement 2/2

THE VILLAGE BLOG

When the Work Leaves the Room in Chicago, IL

Today, I had the honor of serving as the morning keynote speaker for Start Early’s Early Learning Network (ELN) 2026 Pre-Service Professional Development Conference in Chicago, Illinois. I shared From Acorn to Mighty, Mighty Oak Tree™, a story rooted in human development, collective responsibility, and the conditions that help children maximize their personal potential. While the story is mine, the human experiences woven through it belong to so many people. Some hear themsel

The Acorn in the Eyeglass Case in Tallahassee, FL

Today, I had the pleasure of working with the Capital Area Community Action Agency team right here in my own backyard of Tallahassee, Florida. It was invigorating to watch the team grasp the concepts of the Top-Notch Village™ framework. It always does my heart well to see the lightbulb moments and the a-ha moments on people’s faces as the pieces begin to connect. Then, at the end of our time together, I received a the most beautiful Godwink. The Early Childhood Development Ma

When the Acorn Movement Took Legs in Hempstead, NY

This morning, I witnessed the most beautiful thing.❤️🥰 I watched the Acorn Movement take legs. At the end of my signature keynote, we have an Acorn Commitment Ceremony where service providers make a commitment to the children they serve. Typically, we use one tree representing the entire agency. The Assistant Head Start Director of the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc. in Hempstead, New York, had the brilliant idea to create one Acorn Commitment Tree for

“Are You Coming Back Next Year?” in Ringgold, GA

Today, I had the honor of partnering with the Family Resource Agency of North Georgia in Ringgold, Georgia, as they kicked off a new school year with the incredible service providers who show up every day for the children and families in their community. We closed the keynote with our Acorn Commitment Ceremony, where participants wrote a personal commitment describing how they will continue showing up as village members for the children and families they serve. One by one, th

Building the Village Begins with Leadership in Orlando, Florida

There are moments in this work that leave you more energized than when you arrived. These past two days with the incredible leadership team at Orange County Head Start were exactly that. Director Sonya Hill made a powerful investment by dedicating two full days exclusively to her leadership team before the start of the school year. That decision speaks volumes. It communicates that before we ask teachers to serve children and families well, we must first ensure that leaders a

The Day the Acorn Lady Received an Acorn in Birmingham, AL

This morning, I had the privilege of sharing space with the good people of Childcare Resources at their Sky’s the Limit Conference in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama. Childcare Resources is on a mission to ensure every child in Alabama gets the best possible start in life. They do the important work of supporting children and families because they understand what decades of research have shown us: quality early learning and care programs are a smart investment that can change t

ABOUT THE VILLAGE BLOG

The Village Blog is a living record of engagement strategy in action.

Here, I share field stories, practical strategies, and original frameworks from my work with Head Start programs, school districts, community action agencies, and child- and family-service organizations across the country.

Each post explores how adults can strengthen relationships, become mission-aligned, and show up well for children and families. I work with adults and work for children—because every child deserves to be loved and cared for well.

Raising Superman

Raising Superman is co-authored by Dr. El and her son, Ricky II. Together, they weave their voices into one story that highlights the three characters of a Top-Notch Village: the child, the family, and the village members.

The book gives families and village members tips and strategies drawn directly from Dr. El’s Village Engagement Matrix™—a framework designed to help both work together so that children have every opportunity to maximize their personal potential.

At its core, Raising Superman shows what becomes possible when children grow up surrounded by belief in themselves, a positive identity, and a village committed to turning dreams into reality.